4.9.03

The Things I Miss pt. I

Aah, class politics. I recently came across the website for the Independent Working Class Association (iwca) in the UK, and their fantastically-named campaign Working class rule in working class areas! (go here if you want to check out their whole campaign press release).

Now: as boring as the launch of yet another splinter left-wing political group is, as fracturing and pointless and generally Life of Brian-esque ("FRANCIS: Whatever happened to the Popular Front, Reg? -REG: He's over there. - P.F.J. : Splitter!") - Lord, do I miss it. Someone who actually fights New Labour for the scum-sucking pond life they are - what I wouldn't give for someone to do that to Little Johnny Howard (AND the Labor Party!) here.

In this country, where the apalling level of public discourse moves along the plot lines of EVERYBODY LOVES JOHNNY, even a smidgeon of the iwca's passion and analysis would be welcome. And it's not even that I agree with them - I find the whole idea of investing a social class with a common consciousness highly questionable. For instance: when the iwca describes their strategy as "[i]n electoral terms it means supporting those candidates who are committed to putting the immediate interests of the working class first", you'd have to say: what, more shite American TV, Maccas, sport and shopping malls? Because these seem to be, arguably, the current immediate interests of working classes in the West (call me elitist. Please). Althusser, come over here! False consciousness anyone?

Still... oh, for something comparable here, in the land of Nod, where Jello Biafra's description of the American party system is just as apt: a one party state masquerading as a two party state. The loudest voice of dissent in Australia is a middle-aged, mild-mannered Bob Brown from the Greens, for crying out loud (except for various feral groupings which number in the, erm, tenths). Oh well...